Leg prostheses for thigh disarticulations



March 24, 1970 ca. A. DEGTYAREV ETAL 3,501,777

LEG PROSTHESES FOR THIGH DISARTIGULATIONS 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed July13, 1967 March 24, 1970 e. A. DEGTYAREV ET AL 3,501,777

LEG PROSTHESES FOR THIGH DISARTICULATIONS Filed July 13, 1967 2Sheets-Sheet 2 United States Patent 3,501,777 LEG PROSTHESES FOR THIGHDISARTICULATIONS Gavrill Artemovich Degtyarev, Ul. Garibaldi 12, kv. 99;Nikolai Ivanovich Klimov, Ul. Vavilova 17, kv. 114; and VyacheslavStepanovich Leonov, Ul. Kedrova 16, kv. 36, all of Moscow, U.S.S.R.

Filed July 13, 1967, Ser. No. 653,094 Int. Cl. A61f 1/08, 1/04 U.S. Cl.3-15 4 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A leg prosthesis for thighdisarticulations near the hip having a half-corset provided with abracket mounted near the underside which pivotally supports thigh, shinand foot members covered with an elastic material. An automatic lock isprovided between the bracket and thigh member to support the body in thevertical position and is releasable for forward pivoting during sitting.The leg features an improved hinged link structure forming the thighmember comprising, an upper fork-like platform hinged to the bracket andhingedly supporting two parallel upright links having their lower endshinged to a shaped link located at the knee area. An inclined link ishingedly supported between the platform and shaped links, therebyforming a hinged link structure capable of supporting great loads duringwalking and standing.

The present invention relates to supporting and moving appliances whichmay replace the lost limbs of a human, and more particularly to legprostheses after thigh disarticulations near the hip.

Known in the prior art are leg prosthetic appliances after thighdisarticulation, comprising a half-corset complete with a bracket and anautomatic lock and thigh, shin and foot members hinged in succession andcovered with an elastic material, the bracket being located just underthe half-corset .and the joint of the thigh and shin being provided witha lock.

A disadvantage of such prostheses is their poor functioning and givingway under persons wearing them due to locks in the thigh-to-shin joints(knee joints), the possibility of breaking thereof at the junctionsbetween brackets and half-corsets (in the coxofemoral joints) due tolarge torques, the impossibility of providing the right setting of thepersons body while sitting because of brackets being located just underthe half-corsets.

An object of the present invention is to eliminate the above-saiddisadvantages.

The principal object of the invention is to provide an appliance afterthigh disarticulation, which provides proper function, and does not giveway while also being durable and enabling the right setting of thepersons body while sitting.

To achieve this object there is provided a leg prosthesis after thighdisarticulation, comprising a half-corset complete with a bracket andautomatic lock, a thigh member, a shin member and a foot member, inwhich, according to the invenion, the thigh member is made as a hingedfour-link member whose one link in the prosthesis vertical positionserves as a platform located in the upper portion of the thigh memberunder the half-corset, while the second and third links are made as twovertical, parallel up rights and an upright inclined towards them,respectively, whereas the fourth link is essentially a shaped piecerigidly attached to the thigh member.

In addition, the platform is made as a fork member which is providedwith a shock absorber.

Besides, the uprights of the second and third links are made hollow.

3,501,777 Patented Mar. 24, 1970 The automatic lock, according to theinvention, is located on the outer side of one of the fork arms with aclearance between its working end and the projection of the half-corsetbracket.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become more fullyapparent from the following description thereof and the attacheddrawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a longitudinal section in the sagittal plane through theprosthesis of the invention;

FIG. 2 is the front view of the prosthesis of the invention, partlybroken away in section;

FIG. 3 is a longitudinal section in the sagittal plane through theprosthesis of the invention (sitting position);

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the fork according to the invention; and

FIG. 5 shows a shaped member according to the invention.

The leg prosthesis after thigh disarticulation consists of a half-corset(FIG. 1), a bracket 2, an automatic lock 3, a thigh member comprising aplatform 4, tWo vertical parallel uprights 5, an inclined upright 6, anda shaped member 7; a shin member 8, a foot member 9 and a shock absorber10.

The thigh, shin and foot members are covered with an elastic plastic 11,e.g., urethane foam (FIG. 2).

The half-corset 1 is made of a cloth impregnated with polyamide varnish.

The bracket 2 is provided with a plate 12 rigidly attached to thehalf-corset 1.

The platform 4 (FIGS. 1 and 4) is made as a fork 13 (FIG. 4), and islocated in the upper portion of the thigh member under the half-corset 1(FIG. 1). The ends of parallel arms 14 of the fork 13 (FIG. 4) arehinged with the bracket 2 (FIG. 1) and with the upper end of the hollowinclined upright 6. The plate 15 (FIG. 4) perpendicular to and extendingbetween the two parallel arms 14 of the fork 13 is hinged with the twoparallel hollow uprights 5 (FIG. 1). Attached to the transverse plate 15of the fork 13 (FIG. 4) is a shock absorber 16 receiving the load of thehalf-corset 1 (FIG. 1). The shaped member 7 (FIGS. 1 and 5) is rigidlyattached to the tubular shin member 8 at its lower portion, while withits upper portion it is hinge-jointed with the two parallel verticalhollow uprights 5, and with its middle portion it is hingejointed withthe lower end of the inclined hollow upright 6.

The foot member 9 is flexibly attached to the shin 8 through the shockabsorber 10.

The proposed prosthesis may replace the lost lower extremity andreconstructs the principal functions of walking; it also makes itpossible for the person to sit properly.

The presence of the four-link thigh member ensures the acceptance of agreat load when walking and standing .(FIGS. 1 and 2), and eliminatesthe danger of bending in the prosthesis knee joint, while, when sitting.(FIG. 3), it permits to place the persons body in a comfortableposition as the platform 4 and the two parallel hollow uprights 5 maydisplace towards the hollow upright 6, thereby forming a space under thehalf-corset 1 and the upper portion of the thigh member.

With a view to eliminating the spontaneous bending of the prosthesiswhen walking, the hinged joint between the bracket 2 and the fork 13 isprovided with an automatic lock 3 mounted on the outer side of one ofthe arms 14 of the fork 13 in such a manner that its end operatesagainst the projection of the bracket 2, while to improve the functionon transferring the prosthesis the instant the toe of the foot 9 islifted from the supporting surface, provision is made for a functionalclearance, e.g., 2 to 3 mm. between the working end of the lock 3 andthe projection of the bracket 2.

For the automatic transferring of the shin member 8 forwards, thetubular shin member 8 is provided with a spring 17.

The shock absorber improves the adaptation of the sole portion of thefoot 9 to the supporting surface as well as softening impacts in theinitial period of walking.

What is claimed is:

1. A leg prosthesis after thigh disarticulation, comprising: ahalf-corset with a bracket and an automatic lock; a thigh member whichis essentially constituted as a platform in the vertical position of theprosthesis, and which is located in the upper portion of the thighmember under said half-corset, said platform being hinge-jointed at oneend thereof with said bracket, two vertical parallel uprights, havingupper ends hinge-jointed with the other end of said platform, an uprightmember inclined towards said two vertical parallel uprights and havingan upper end hinge-jointed with said one end of said platform, a shapedmember hinge-jointed with the lower ends of said parallel uprights, saidshaped member being hinge-jointed with the lower ends of said inclinedupright; a shin member rigidly attached to said shaped member; and afoot member having a flexible attachment to said shin.

2. A prosthesis as claimed in claim 1, in which the platform isconstituted as a fork member having two spaced arms and a plateextending therebetween, said plate being provided with a shock absorberfor contacting the underside of said half-corset.

3. A prosthesis as claimed in claim 1, in which the two verticalparallel uprights are hollow; the upright inclined member also beinghollow.

4. A leg prosthesis after thigh disarticulation, comprising: ahalf-corset with a bracket having a projection and an automatic lock; athigh member having a fork member for supporting the body in thevertical position of the prosthesis, said fork member having two spacedarms connected by a transverse plate, said plate being provided with ashock absorber for contacting the underside of said half-corset, saidfork member being located in the upper portion of the thigh member undersaid half-corset, said fork member being hinge-jointed at one endthereof with said bracket, two vertical parallel hollow uprights havingupper ends hinge-jointed with the other end of said fork member, ahollow upright member inclined towards said two vertical parallel hollowuprights, and having an upper end hinge-jointed with said fork member, ashaped member hinge-jointed with the lower ends of said parallel hollowuprights, said shaped member being hinge-jointed with the lower end ofsaid inclined hollow upright member; a shin member rigidly attached tosaid shaped member; and a foot member having a flexible attachment tosaid shin member; said automatic lock being disposed on the outer sideof one of the arms of said fork with a clearance between its working endand the projection of the bracket of said half-corset.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 773,199 10/1904 Cunningham 3-l51,299,980 4/1919 Marcinko 3-15 FOREIGN PATENTS 228,940 6/ 1960Australia. 374,580 4/ 1923 Germany. 147,736 11/1962 U.S.S.R. 174,3221/1966 U.S.S.R.

RICHARD A. GAUDET, Primary Examiner R. L. FRINKS, Assistant Examiner US.Cl. X.R. 37, 29, 33

